Beautifully Scarred Women

Beautifully Scarred Women

A New Zealand photographer is collecting the powerful stories and images of local women who have been through some form of trauma and transformed their lives for the better.

Beautifully Scarred Women

Tauranga-based photographer Charmaine Marinkovich is highlighting the many stories of New Zealand women in her new book Beautifully Scarred. Marinkovich has interviewed and photographed 40 amazing women who have all been through some form of trauma – domestic violence, illnesses, accidents, tough childhoods and more. Now, these women are moving forward into a better, stronger place. They have shared their stories in the hope they might inspire others who are experiencing something similar.

To ensure the stories are told correctly, Marinkovich is running a PledgeMe campaign so she can self-publish Beautifully Scarred. MiNDFOOD caught up with the photographer to discuss the project.

Studio photos for the book

What inspired you to create this book?

I have been through some life challenges, becoming a mum at 18 years old, leaving an un-safe relationship, suffering from anxiety attacks and very low self-esteem. I was able to turn that around by learning to believe in myself, forgive and accept those from my past, and building a successful portrait studio in Tauranga. I really want others to know and believe they too can do the same.

What has the process been like?

When I first had the idea, I put it out to my followers on my Facebook page to see what they thought and they were all so supportive and loved the idea. I also asked if there were any women out there willing to share their stories. My inbox was flooding with stories from women all over New Zealand, it was amazing. These women showed so much courage and strength in all that they have endured and here they were willing to share to help others.

What challenges have you experienced?

So far I’ve been very lucky. I guess the only challenge I have at the moment is the short time-frame with my PledgeMe campaign. With only 27 days left to raise just over $80,000 – but I like a good challenge.

Why Pledge Me?

It’s quite a significant amount of money needed to self-publish a book. This way I can give back to those who believe in my book as much as I do and are willing to support me in bringing this book to life to get into the hands of those who could do with a little hope in their life. PledgeMe enables me to offer some amazing rewards in return for any pledge that’s made, plus I’m able to keep people updated on the book’s progress and what’s happening next, from the beginning right through to the completed book.